Work rest



y 30, 1939- H. E. BALSIGER' 2,160,378

WORK REST Original Filed Feb. 8, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l NM INVENTOR Ham/d CBa/J/ 'Oer BY /L7Z l7 ATTORNEY y 1939- H. E. BALSIGER 2,160,378

WORK REST Original Filed Feb. 8, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Ham/c1 5.50/07 er ATTORNEY May 30, 1939. H. E. BALSIGER WORK REST Original Filed Feb. 8, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 H INVENTOR arc/d EBa/J/ er BY /A ail ATTORNEY v 5 Sheet t 4 Ola Ham/ 5 27 May 30 H. E. BALS R WOR REST Original Filed Feb. 8, 1935 May 30, 1939. H. E. BALSIGER WORK REST Original Filed Feb. 8, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Harold Edd/ var BY 4 .5/7

ATTORN EY Patented May 30, 1939 woax REST Harold E. Baisiger. Waynesboro, Pa., alsignor to Landis Tool Comp y, Waynesboro, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 8, 1935, Serial No. 5,677

Renewed September 30, 1937 18 Claims.

This invention relates to work-rests for use primarily with machine tools. An objector-themvention is to provide a work-rest which will rigidly support the work to prevent it from flexing in any direction and particularly to center the work and maintain that center in a fixed position coinciding with the axis of rotation thereof while said work is being operated upon.

Another object of my invention is to provide a plurality of shoes which are adapted to move into engagement with a workpiece and thereafter to move toward a common center at a'rate determined only by the rate of stock removal from the work piece. I

Another object is to utilize the movement of the shoes or some associated element to operate a size control mechanism.

The conventional steady rest having one or two shoes held in contact with a work piece by manual, hydraulic, or other suitable means has never performed its function satisfactorily especially when the shoes contact the portion of the work from which stock is being removed and therefore require constant adjustment.-

The purpose of a steady rest'is, as its name implies to steady the work piece against the forces exerted by the tool. The ideal steady rest would exert a force exactly equal in magnitude and direction to the force exerted by the tool. Since the force exerted by the tool is necessarily continually varying both in magnitude and direction due to variation in the amount of stock removed, the condition of the material, and various other conditions characteristic of a machining operation, the ideal steady rest has another function. It must exert against the work piece a force or forces which are continuously variable to correspend with or to counteract the forces exerted by the tool.

I have approached this ideal condition by constructing a steady rest having three shoes adapted to be suitably spaced about the surface of the work piece. One of these shoes is mounted on a plunger which is adapted to be moved toward and from the work piece. The other two shoes are mounted on arms which are actuated by movement of the plunger. The arms and the plunger are designed so that all the shoes move toward a predetermined point at exactly the same speed so that when they are in contact with a work piece one shoe will not be so moved that it will bear more heavily on the work than the others except to counteract outside forces.

If the center of the work piece coincides with the predetermined point toward which the shoes are moving the shoes will engage the work at the same time and continue to engage it thruout the machining operation. Any force tending to shift the work from its axis will be counteracted in direction and magnitude by one or more of the steady rest shoes. If the center of the work piece does not coincide with the predetermined point toward which the shoes are moving, one or more of the several shoes will act to force the work to a position where said center and said point do coincide.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the work rest,

Figure 2 is a section on line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a section of the motor for operating the work-rest.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the front end of the work-rest showing the work-rest when in opfied form of the invention.

In the drawings numeral In, Figs. 1 and 2 indicates a base adapted to be secured on the machine tool, such for example as on the front of the bed of a grinding machine. The work-rest however, may be mounted in positions other than on the front of the bed of the grinding machine, as for example, on the work carriage or in any other suitable position on the machine. The base III has a cap portion I2 forming an enclosed guideway H. A plunger carrier I3 is mounted for longitudinal movement in theguideway II. A plunger I4 is mounted for longitudinal movement within the carrier I3. A shaft I5 is journaled in the base l0 and is provided at its outer end with a pinion I6 engageable by a rack l'l formed upon or secured to a piston rod l8 which extends out through the head of a cylinder IS, the piston rod carrying a piston 20 which operates within the cylinder. Pressure fluid for operating the piston is supplied to and exhausted from the cylinder through fluid lines 2| and 22. The inner end of the shaft i3 carries a pinion 23 which engages a rack 24 secured to the lower side of the plunger l4. A stop pin 25 is positioned in the cover l2 and is adjustable by means of a screw" 23. The pin 23 has a beveled surface 21 which is engageable by the beveled surface 23 of a block 23. The plunger H has an end which is surrounded by a spring 33, one end of which engages a shoulder 3| on the inner side of the carrier l3, the other end of the spring resting against the inner side of a nut 32 which is screw threaded on the end of the plunger; A hood 33 is secured on the end of the casing to form a chamber which provides an operating space for the end of the plunger. Adjacent the forward end of the plunger support l3 are pivotally mounted work engaging lower and upper jaws 34 and 35, these laws having work engaging shoes 33 secured thereon in any suitable way. The forward end of the plunger also has a shoe 31. These jaws, at their rear ends, carry rollers 33 and 33 which are engageable by cam blocks 43 and 4| respectively. The cam block 4| is mounted in the forward end of the plunger l4 and is adjustable therein. In order to facilitate adjustment a cap 42' is secured to the upper end of an adjusting screw as by means of a pin 43 (Fig. 6). A flange 44 on the screw is positioned beneath a plate 45 which is seated in a dove-tailed slot in the top of the plunger. The cap 42 and the flange 44 prevent endwise movement of the screw. The cam 43 has a lateral portion 41 through which extends a similar screw 43. The screws are locked in adjusted position by set screws 43. A

sleeve 43, Fig. l, is fltted about the forward end of the plunger within the plunger support and packing material is secured at the end of the sleeve to prevent the entry of water and grit into the plunger support. A flexible water guard 53 is positioned about the forward end of the plunger support. Springs 3| are secured at one end to the pivoted jaws 34 and. 35 and at their other ends to pins on the forward end of the plunger support I3. These springs tend to swing the jaw so as to release the shoes from contact with the work.

As shown in Figure 4 a working sizing device including a block 52-may be mounted in one side of the plunger support. This block is mounted upon a spring 53 by means of screws 34. The spring in turn is mounted between a pair of blocks 55 and 56 and secured to one side of the forward end of the plunger support by means of screws 51. Contact screws 53 and 53 are carried in the ends of the block 52 and have wear resisting ends which engage the surface of the work. A fluid nozzle 33 is positioned intermediate the contact screws 53 and 53 and a conduit 3| communicates with the nozzle 33, through which conduit pressure fluid for operating the sizing device is supplied to the nozzle. The sizing device may be that shown in my copending application Ser. No. 598,498 filed March 12, 1932.

The operation of the device as so far described is as follows: with the parts as shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 1 the plunger is retracted and the work engaging laws are in open position. Operating fluid is supplied to the cylinder l3 (Fig. 3) through conduit 22 to apply pressure to the upper side of piston 23. Through the rack and pinions the plunger l4 and the plunger carrier l3 are moved forward, the plunger carrier being carried forward by the spring 33. This movement continues until the stop block 23 engages the stop block 23. The beveled contacting surfaces of these blocks cause the carrier to be clamped against the ways II in base l3. when the plunger support is in this posi-' tion the work enga ing laws will be in the dot and dash line position shown in Figure 8 with the jaws out of engagement with the work but in their forward position. Plunger M will continue to move forward to a position where cam surfaces 43 and 4| wllfengage rollers 33 and 33 respectively and from which position all the jaws -move simultaneously into engagement with the work. Further movement of the plunger H forward will cause the plunger to move relative to the plunger carrier. As the plunger moves forward the cam blocks 43 and 4| engage the rollera 33 and 33 respectively to rock the jaws on their pivots and bring the shoes 33 into contact with the work piece 32. The shoe 31 on the forward endof the plunger will come into engagement with the side of the work piece. The cam surfaces 43 and 4| are capable of adjustment so that the three work engaging members will contact with the surface of the work with a restraining pressure so as to hold the work centered. As the work diminishes in size, all three work engaging members will move toward this common center by similar increments of movement. In other words, one cannot move without the other. If, for example, the work engaging member at the top (Fig. 2) cannot move in because the work is shifted oif center in that direction, then the member at the end of the plunger, and also the lower work member would not be free to move it, and all the pressure back of the plunger through the cam acting on the work member at the top would be exerted against the work for forcing it back to a common center, where all three work members bear upon the work and restrain it against radial movement. The work piece is, therefore, engaged at three different positions about its periphery, so that it is held firmly against radial movement in any direction during the grinding operation. The

cam surfaces 43 and 4| are capable of being shifted so as to-vary the timing of the work engaging members controlled thereby, and these cams may be so set-that the work engaging members will be brought into contact with the surface of the work to be ground simultaneously.

The fluid pressure operating on the plunger will 0 .exert a substantially equal pressure against the work by each work engaging member. As the work decreases in diameter during grinding, the work engaging member carried by the plunger moves toward the center of rotation, and while the cam surfaces 43 and 4| will impart an equal movement of the work supporting members controlled by the respective cam surfaces, toward the center of rotation. Thus it is that the work engaging members are simultaneously and uniformly urged toward the'center of rotation of the work during the grinding operation, and are also maintained at the same distance from the center of rotation of the work.

Figures 7 and 8 show a modified form of work- I rest illustrating the same general principle as that shown in Figures 1 to 6. In this form of the device a work-rest body 33 is adapted to be mounted upon a support 34 which support may be the work support,.work carriage or may be the bed of the machine. The device is secured in position by means of a bolt 35 having a head 33 engaging in a T-slot 31 in the work carriage or other support 34. The base 33 is preferably provided with a lining sleeve 33 within which is slidably mounted a plunger 69. The rear end of the plunger is provided with a piston 13 including packing rings 19 which are secured in posithe base 63.

tion by a cap 1I held on by nuts 12 which are threaded on the threaded end of said piston 13. The piston 13 is screwed into the threaded end of plunger 69. A pressure chamber "is formed between the end of the plunger and the head 01' the chamber to which chamber pressure fluid is supplied through a port 15. A block 16 is positioned within the plunger and held in position by a pin 11 which is seated in suitable openings in the support 63. A spring 18 is seated against the block 16 and the other 'end against the inner end of the piston 13. Obviously the positions of spring 18 and pressure chamber 14 might be reversed. Duringv assembly the plunger 69 is ing a flange portion 84 and a collar 85 positioned at opposite sides of a block 86 which is seated in a dovetailed socket in the plunger. Rotation of the adjusting screw 83 will move the block 89 transversely of the plunger. A block 81 has an upper forward cam portion 88 and this block has a bracket portion 89 which is engaged between the flange portion 99" and the collar 9| on the adjusting screw 99 by means of which screw the block 81 is adjustable transversely of the plunger. Screws 89 and 81' lock the plungers 89 and 81 to prevent any change after adjustment is made. A jaw 92 is pivoted at 93 to a lug on The rear end of the jaw carries a roller 94 which is engageable by the cam surface 82 on the block 89. An upper jaw 95 is pivoted at 99 on the upper end of a lever 91 which lever is also pivoted at 93. The lower end of this lever carriesa hardened pin 98 engageable with a stop pin 99 in the support 63. The rear end of the jaw 95'carries a roller I99 engageable by the cam surface 88 on the block 81. The forward ends of the jaws 92 and 95 carry shoes IM and the forward end of the plunger enough to prevent the jaw 95 from pivoting at 96 on the lever 91 until the lever haspivoted on its pivot 93 to bring the stop 98 into contact with the stop 99. When these stops engage, the lever 91 is prevented from further pivoting at 93 so that further movement of the plunger 69 forward will cause the jaw 95 to pivot clockwise to bring the shoe into engagement with the Work-piece. This latter shifting of the jaw 95 will occur at the same time that the surface 82 comes into engagement with the roller 94 on the jaw 92 so that this latter jaw will also be swung on its pivot to bring its shoe also into engagement with the work. The cam surfaces 82 and 88 will be positioned by adjustment of the blocks 89 or 81 so that the shoes I9I will approach the work-piece simultaneously with the shoe I92 on the forward-end of the plunger.

The block is adjustable transversely of the plunger by means of an adjusting screw 83, the screw hav- The movement ofshoes IM and I92 after engaging the work and during the grinding thereof is similar 'to thatoi' shoes 36 and 31 in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive.

In Figure 9 there is shown a still further modifled form illustrating the same general principle. This form may be positioned upon the work carriage or upon the bed of the machine and consists of a support I94 having a chamber in which the plunger I95 operates. This plunger carries a piston I98 with the usual packing I91. Pressure fluid is supplied at the rear of the piston in chamber I 98. A piston rod I99 extends out through a cap II9 which closes the piston chamber. The rear end of the piston rod I99 carries a threaded nut III upon which a nut H2 is mounted. A gage H3 is mounted on the support I94 and has an arm II4 engageable by the nut H2. The nut H2 is calibrated'to facilitate adjustment to determine any given position as indicated by the gage III. The forward end of the plunger carries a cam block H5 having a cam surface 6 on its lower end, the block being-adjustable transversely of the plunger by means of the screw H1 and locked in adjusted position byscrew 1'. A jaw H8 has a stop pin I23 1 adapted to come into contact with the rear end of an adjustable stop screw I24. "A set screw I26 is provided for locking the adjustable screw I24 in adjustable position. The jaws H8 and I2I have work engaging shoes I21. The forward end of the plunger I95 also has a work engaging shoe I28. The operation of this form of the device is as follows:

When the plunger is retracted the jaw I2I is moved back to the position shown in full lines in Figure 9 at which position the work piece I29 may be lifted freely from the shoe I21. When the parts are moved to operative position the pressure fluid is supplied to the chamber I98 and the plunger I95 moves forward. This movement brings the jaw I2I to the dotted line position shown in Figure 9. This jaw pivots due to engagement of the stop pin I28 with theend of the stop screw I24. The cam II6 engages the roller I29 to swing the jaw II8 also into work engaging position at the same time that .the shoe on the jaw I2I engages the topof the work. All the jaws then move simultaneously toward the surface of the work. During the grinding operation the movement of shoes I21 and I 28 is the same as that of shoes 38 and 31, Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive.

' As the work is reduced in size the jaws will tend to swing further inwardly as-the plunger moves forward. This movement maybe indicated on the gage II3. In this way the gage may be used to indicate the size of the work. 9

Automatic sizing corresponding change in size oi. the work, that movement may be utilized to actuate a sizing device. One method of applying the sizing device is disclosed in connection with Fig. 9. Obviously it it could be adapted just as easily to other forms of the steady rest- A nomle III is mounted in the rear end of support I and directs fluid toward nut H2. As the work I2! is reduced in size, said nut moves toward nozzle I30 and reduces the flow of fluid therefrom, thus building up pressure in tube I38 and causing the mercury to rise toward contacts I36 and I31. When a first predetermined size is reached contact I is engaged by-the mercury and a circuit closed to actuate solenoid I" which in turn operates valve IBI to reduce the rate of feed of piston I" by resisting the flow oi fluid from dash pot I48, said flow of fluid being caused by the action of said piston on said 20 dash pot, as described in applicant's co-pending application 623,225, now U. S. Patent No.

. 2,023,777, dated December 10, 1935. When a second predetermined size is reached, a circuit is closed thru contact. It! to energize solenoid 88 I which shifts valve I39 and directs fluid thru e 5 to piston I". Said piston may be attached to a tool support and the movement resulting from the above described operation may be for the purpose of withdrawing the tool sup- 80 port and tool from working position. This function also is described in the above mentioned copending application. The dash pot I is reset by spring I49 upon withdrawal of piston I41.

Having thus fully described my said invention,

36 what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A work-rest comprising a base, a carrier on said base, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said carrier, 9. plunger mounted in said carrier 40 and movable toward and from the work, said plunger having means thereon engageable with the jaws to move them into engagement with the work.

2. A work-rest comprising a base, a carrier movably mounted on said base, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said carrier, a plunger movable in said carrier, said plunger having a work engaging shoe, means on the plunger for moving said jaws into engagement with the work as the 50 said shoe is brought into engagement with the work.

3. A work-rest comprising a base, a carrier movably mounted in the base, a plunger movable in the carrier, 8. fluid motor for moving said plunger and said carrier, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said carrier, cams on said plunger engageable with said jaws to move them-into engagement with the work when the plunger has moved a predetermined distance relative to the carrier.

4. A work-rest comprising a carrier, a fluid motor for moving said carrier toward and from the work, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said carrier, a plunger movable in said carrier for operating said jaws when the carrier has been moved to a predetermined position, said plunger having a work engaging shoe cooperating with shoes on the said jaws to grip the work about its periphery to hold the work in flrm centered position.

5. A work-rest comprising a carrier, a plunger mounted in said carrier, said carrier having a pair of work engaging jaws mounted thereon, a fluid motor for moving said plunger toward and 7 irom the work, resilient connection between said plunger and said carrier for moving the latter by the former, a stop for limiting the movement of said carrier toward the work, and means on the plunger for operating the jaws to bring them into work engaging position when the carrier has reached the limit of its movement toward the work- 6. A work-rest comprising a support having a work engaging jaw mounted thereon, a plunger having a cam engageable with said work engaging jaw, a fluid motor for operating said plunger, a second work engaging jaw mounted on said plunger, 9. stop positioned on said support and engageable by said last named work engaging jaw to cause said jaw to move into engagement with the work when the plunger has reached a predetermined forward position.

'7. A work-rest comprising a plunger, a fluid motor for operating said plunger, a work engaging jaw pivotally mounted on said plunger, an adjustable stop engageable by one end of said jaw to cause the jaw to pivot to work engaging position when the plunger reaches a predetermined forward position, said plunger having a work engaging shoe in its forward end engageable with the work simultaneously with the engagement of the work by the said pivoted jaw, and a second jaw pivoted independently of said plunger and operated by said plunger.

8. A work-rest comprising a support, a work engaging jaw pivotally mounted on said support, a lever mounted on said support and a second work engaging jaw pivotally mounted on said lever, a plunge having cams thereon engageable with said jaws for moving them into work engaging position, and a fluid motor for operating said plunger.

9. In a device of the kind described, an element movable toward and from a work piece, a second element movable with said flrst mentioned element, work engaging portions on said elements, means to move said elements toward a work piece, means to stop one of said elements to locate the work engaging portions carried thereby in a predetermined position relative to the work piece, means whereby the movement of the other element. is continued and means responsive to said continued movement to bring each of said work engaging portions into contact with said work piece.

10. In a-device of the kind described, an element movable toward and from a work piece, a second element movable with said first mentioned element, work engaging portions on said elements, means to move said elements toward a work piece, means to stop one of said elements to locate the work engaging portions carried thereby in a predetermined position relative to the work piece, means whereby the movement of the other element is continued, means responsive to said continued movement to bring each of said work engaging portions into contact with said work piece and to maintain said contact during a grinding operation, means whereby each of said work engaging portions is moved during grinding thru a distance equal to the change in size 01 the work piece and a sizing device responsive to movement of one of said elements for controlling the grinding operation.

11. In a grinding machine a steady rest comprising a plurality of work engaging surfaces, a plunger movable relative to a work piece, means responsive to movement of said plunger for moving said work engaging surfaces in the same direction from a remote inoperative position to an operative position adjacent the work means responsive to a further movement of said plunger for moving said work engaging surfaces radially and simultaneously into contact with the work surface and for maintaining said contact dluring the grinding operation.

12 In a grinding machine a steady rest comprising, a plunger movable relative to a work piece hydraulic motor for moving said plunger, three or more work engaging surfaces, means responsive to movement of said plunger for moving said work engaging surfaces in the same direction from a remote inoperative position to an operative position adjacent the work, means responsive to a further movement of said plunger for moving said work engaging surfaces radially and simultaneously into contact with the work surface and for maintaining said contact during the grinding operation.

13. In a device of the kind described comprising a stationary element and a movable element, workengaging means adapted to be moved by said movable element, means to move said movable element from a remote inoperative position to an operative position adjacent a work piece, means to determine said operative position comprising a stop mounted in one of said elements, a second stop mounted in the other of said elements and adapted to engage said first mentioned stop, the contacting faces of said stops lying in a plane at an angle to the direction of movement of said movable element whereby to provide a wedging action between said elements.

14. In a steady rest, a stationary element and a movable element, one or more work engaging shoes adapted to be moved by said movable element, means to move said movable element from a remote inoperative position to a work engaging position adjacent a workpiece and means responsive to said movement to wedge said elements together in said work engaging position.

15. A steady rest having a base, a plurality of work engaging elements movable relative to said base for engaging a work piece, means for preventing any change in the position of the center of rotation thereof, means for moving each oi! said work engaging elements simultaneously during a grinding operation through a distance proportional to the change in size of a work piece, a sizing device for controlling operation of a. machine and having an element mounted in fixed relation to said base and means movable with the work engaging element for cooperating with said sizing device element for effecting operation of said sizing device.

16. In a device of the kind described, an element movable toward and from a work piece, a second element movable with said first mentioned element, work engaging portions on said elements, means to move said elements toward a work piece, means to stop one of said elements to locate the work engaging portions carried thereby in a predetemiined position relative to the work piece, means whereby the movement of the other element is continued, a sizing device including a nozzle for discharging a stream of fluid under pressure, means movable with said work engaging elements during a grinding operation for varying the discharge of fluid from said nozzle whereby to actuate said sizing device.

1'7. A steady rest comprising a guide member and a slide member having co-acting bearing surfaces, one or more work engaging shoes movably mounted on said slide member, means for moving said slide relative to said guide so as to bring said shoe or shoes to a predetermined position adjacent the work and means operable to stop the movement of said slide and clamp said surfaces together substantially simultaneously.

18. In a metal working machine, a work engaging member, a support therefor, a base member with which said support makes sliding contact, and acombined stop and clamping means constructed and disposed relative to said support for the work engaging member and said base so that said support is forced into clamping engagement with said base and stopped in a predetermined set position.

HAROLD E. BALSIGER. 5 

